Jinji Dance [Guizhou Danzhai Specialty]

What is Jinji Dance? Authentic Guizhou Danzhai specialty: Jinji Dance

Summary:Do you want to know what Jinji Dance is? This article is a detailed introduction to the Guizhou Danzhai specialty - Jinji Dance. It was compiled and edited by the editorial team of China Specialty Network after reviewing and collecting relevant information on Jinji Dance. The full text takes about 19 minutes to read, mainly including the basic introduction of Jinji Dance and the product characteristics of Jinji Dance? How did the history of Jinji Dance come about? Wait

Basic Introduction of Jinji Dance

Jinji Dance originated in Paidiao Town, Danzhai County, Guizhou Province. It is spread in the Miao ethnic group's "Ga Nao" branch, where people wear short skirts in the style of "Ma Niao" (a type of traditional Chinese dress). The dance is performed in various Miao villages such as Yahui and Songlong, including Dangzao, Ma Niao, Yangxian, Yanggao, Yedu, and Yahui Township. Legend has it that the ancestors of this Miao ethnic group lived on the Great Plains of the East, and later moved to a beach called "Zhanao Duishe" to live. They also traveled up the river to Danzhai County due to floods. After settling in Danzhai County, the ancestors of the Miao ethnic group lived by farming and hunting to satisfy their hunger. Due to the fact that Jinji helped them obtain millet seeds and overcome famine, Jinji became their lucky star in destiny. So they dressed themselves up in the shape of a golden rooster and danced the lusheng dance, mimicking the courtship gait of a golden rooster

Jinji Dance is the main form of dance in the ancestral worship activities held by the Miao people every twelve years. During folk weddings, welcoming ceremonies, and the "jumping moon" of young men and women, the Golden Rooster Dance is often performed. The Golden Rooster Dance is accompanied by the lusheng, and during the performance, women all have high hair, adorned with Golden Rooster silver ornaments on their heads, embroidered ultra short pleated skirts, a full set of silver collars and bracelets, and upturned embroidered shoes, dressed like beautiful Golden Roosters. The male plays the lusheng as the leader, followed by the female dancing, forming a line and dancing in a counterclockwise circle. With the fast and slow rhythm of the lusheng melody, the golden rooster and silver ornaments on the women's heads leap and fly, the silver horn crown sways bit by bit, the flower belt on the legs floats and flashes, and the white feathers and silver waves on the pleated skirt feet flutter, dancing gracefully with the dancers' light steps, resembling a golden rooster foraging for food in music. The dance movements vary from three, four, and seven steps, with four steps as the main and six steps for turning around and natural swaying of the waist and knees as the basic characteristics of the dance. With each step, the dancer's knees naturally move forward, with more lower limb movements and less upper limb movements. Their hands are naturally released on both sides, swaying leisurely. When there are many people, the lusheng hand forms a circle in the middle to play and dance, while the women dance in a circle around the periphery. The folk rooster dance has a rich variety of lusheng melodies, with over a hundred pieces of music. It is played lightly, smoothly, and beautifully

The Golden Rooster Dance expresses the gentle and tranquil character of the Miao people, reflecting the harmonious and friendly spirit between humans and nature, highlighting the ancient and splendid aesthetic pursuit of the Miao people, and is a beautiful mountain flower in folk dance

Jinji Clothing

Jinji is a benefactor to the Miao people and a cultural totem of the Miao people. The rainbow colors represent the Miao family's pursuit of a colorful life and also express their admiration for the Golden Rooster. The golden pheasant living in the deep mountains and dense forests has green head, green neck, red body, and Fried Dough Twists tail hair and is longer than the body. The beautiful feathers of the Golden Rooster are unparalleled, making it very popular among people. So, Miao girls with spiritual craftsmanship, while worshiping the Golden Rooster, learned from the Golden Rooster and embroidered various patterned clothes and skirts with silk threads of different colors, imitating the feathers of the Golden Rooster, wearing them on their bodies, just as beautiful as the Golden Rooster. Whenever there are festivals and celebrations, the lusheng performers play the lusheng pond, and the girls wear silver flowers made of several golden pheasants on their heads, silver collars on their necks, and totem silver plates on their chests. They dress up carefully and come to the lusheng pond, dancing gracefully to the "Four Drips of Water" lusheng dance music. The colorful costumes resemble the beautiful feathers of a golden rooster, hence the name "Jinji Dance"

Artistic Features

Jinji Dance is the main dance form in the ancestral worship activities held by the Miao people every twelve years.

. During folk weddings, welcoming ceremonies, and the "jumping moon" of young men and women, the Golden Rooster Dance is often performed. The Golden Rooster Dance is accompanied by the lusheng, and during the performance, women all have high hair, adorned with Golden Rooster silver ornaments on their heads, embroidered ultra short pleated skirts, a full set of silver collars and bracelets, and upturned embroidered shoes, dressed like beautiful Golden Roosters

Folk Jinji dance mainly uses four different sizes of lusheng, namely, extra large, large, medium, and small, as the main wind instruments. In Miao language, it is called "GiX LaL", which means flowing like clouds and water, unrestrained and natural. The folk rooster dance has a rich variety of lusheng melodies, with over a hundred pieces of music. It is played lightly, smoothly, and beautifully

Jump in a circle counterclockwise. The hands sway naturally slightly outward on both sides, and with the silver decoration of a golden rooster on the woman's head leaping and ready to fly, the dancer's steps are light and graceful in the graceful dance, resembling a golden rooster foraging for food while enjoying music. With each step, the dancer's knees naturally move forward, with more lower limb movements and less upper limb movements

Development Status

Nowadays, the ethnic and folk culture and art hidden in the western and southwestern foothills of Leigong Mountain and hundreds of kilometers around Niujiao Mountain have gradually been recognized by people. The Jinji Dance, which was raised in seclusion and unknown to people, has entered the city from the corners of the mountains. In 1989, the State Song and Dance Troupe brought Jinji Dance to Dalian to participate in the "First China Folk Art Festival" performance, which won the appreciation of experts and scholars; In 1995, the People's Government of Qiandongnan Prefecture awarded the first prize for the creation of the program "Jinji Dance". In October 2002, the Ethnic Literature and Art Work Team of Danzhai County brought the "Golden Chicken Dance" to Kaili to participate in the "China Kaili International Lusheng Festival and Ethnic Costume Culture Festival" performance, and won the first prize in the Lusheng Dance Art Competition, winning honors for Danzhai, Qiandongnan, Guizhou, and the Chinese nation

Inheritance significance

The Golden Rooster Dance expresses the gentle and quiet character of the Miao people, reflects the harmonious and friendly spirit between humans and nature, highlights the ancient and splendid aesthetic pursuit of the Miao people, and is a beautiful mountain flower in folk dance. Nowadays, the Jinji dance has gradually evolved in the process of dissemination. Through the recreation of literary and artistic workers in Danzhai, their dance movements imitate the movements of the golden rooster in nature, including foraging, playing, and soaring with wings. Their movements are light, smooth, elegant, and natural, and are very popular among people. The golden rooster dance, which is unknown to outsiders, has entered the city from the mountains, taken the stage from the folk, and spread from China to foreign countries, receiving praise from artists at home and abroad. Since its introduction to the stage, the Jinji Dance has been performing with its unique artistic charm for a long time. In the 1980s, the Jinji Dance flourished with artistic charm and was adapted by the Qiandongnan Prefecture Song and Dance Troupe before being brought to Italy, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Austria, and Romania to participate in international art festivals, winning cheers from Western audiences; In 1989, the State Song and Dance Troupe brought the Jinji Dance to Dalian to participate in the "First China Folk Art Festival" performance, which won the appreciation of experts and scholars

Characteristics of Dance Steps

The "Golden Chicken Dance" mainly uses four step dance movements, with six step dance turning; Dancing starts with the left foot moving first, that is, taking a light step to the left with the left foot, approaching the right foot with the step, then taking a step to the right with the right foot, approaching the left foot with the step to the right, and then taking a step to the left with the left foot, following the step with the right foot. In the fourth round, use a six step dance to turn 180 degrees back and forth, walking slowly in a circle with the right foot following. The Miao women dressed in formal attire have thick aprons, and when dancing, their hands are spread diagonally around their waists, like a golden rooster spreading its wings and flapping from time to time, leisurely and graceful

Clothing Features

Jinji Miao ethnic clothing (women's clothing), colorful and vibrant, retaining the ancient and elegant ethnic characteristics

colors. Its silver ornaments, embroidered skirts, flower bands and modeling appearance all take the beautiful golden pheasant as the aesthetic reference. The high bun, shaped like Zongzi, is smooth and round, and the skirt is 10-22 cm long. There are more than 20 colored ribbons hanging down to the foot roots. When dressing up, the head wears a hairpin, and the hair sideburns are inserted with silver combs and silver bird flowers in the shape of flying golden pheasants. The upper body wears 3-5 pieces of short neckline blouses, the outermost one has silver buttons, collars, silver earrings, silver bracelets, silver rings, etc., just like a beautiful golden pheasant

Instrument Features

Jinji Dance mainly uses four different specifications of lusheng, including extra large, large, medium, and small, as the main wind instruments, playing low, medium, high, and extra high polyphonic mixed music. Its rhythm is orderly, cheerful, and smooth, and the sound quality is gentle and melodious, like the sound of high mountain water. In Miao language, it is called "GiXLaL", which means like flowing clouds and water, unrestrained and natural. When dancing, young men (some three to five, many twenty to thirty) play the lusheng and lead the dance in front, while women (mainly girls and middle-aged women, with elderly people in their seventies or eighties and children in their fifties or fifties free to participate) line up in a long snake formation and follow behind, dancing gracefully to the tune and steps of the lusheng. The steps sometimes move forward slowly, sometimes turn counterclockwise in circles, sometimes move forward or backward, or left or right, and sometimes advance or retreat and dance. The dance movements vary from three, four, to seven steps, with four steps as the main and six steps for turning around. The basic characteristics of dance are frequent leg movements and minimal upper limb movements, with natural swaying of the waist and knees. Following the rhythm of the lusheng melody, the feet transform into a graceful posture, while the hands sway slightly outward on both sides. The body is adorned with floral clothes and skirts, a golden rooster silver ornament on the head, a silver collar on the neck, a silver bracelet on the hands, and embroidered shoes on the feet... It's like a golden rooster enjoying its food and dancing leisurely. Taking the four step dance as an example, starting with the left foot, the left foot takes a light step to the left, the right foot follows the left foot to approach, then the right foot takes a light step to the right, the left foot then approaches the right foot, and then it is the left foot's turn to take a step to the left, the right foot follows, repeating four times before switching to six steps and turning clockwise (180 degrees). This process is repeated back and forth, gradually moving forward in a circle with the left foot. With each step, both knees naturally move forward at the same time, like a dragonfly skimming the water; Release your hands naturally on both sides and sway leisurely. When there are many people, the lusheng hand forms a circle in the middle to play and dance, while the women dance in a circle around the periphery

The lusheng music of the folk Jinji dance is light and smooth, beautiful and pleasant, with rich melodies and over 100 pieces. In 1958, the book "Miao Lusheng" compiled and published by He Yun, Jian Qihua, and Zhang Shuzhen from the Central Institute of Ethnic Music included the Jinji dance music played by the Lusheng hand in Madou Village, Paidiao Town, Danzhai County, and praised Madou as the "hometown of Lusheng music"